Window frame having removable sashes



Jan. 28, 1964 M. P. CLISHAM 3,119,157

WINDOW FRAME HAVING REMOVABLE SASHES Filed May 11, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR M42 7//V P. CA/SHA/VI,

,arroe/ve Y-S.

Jan. 28, 1964 M. P. CLISHAM wmnow FRAME HAVING REMOVABLE SASHES 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 11 1962 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,119,157 WENDOW FRAME HAVING REMOVABLE ASEESMartin P. Clisham, 11% Prospect Ridge Blvd, Haddon Heights, NJ. FiledMay 11, 1962, Ser. No. 193,916 3 Claims. (Cl. 219-12) This inventionrelates to improvements in sliding sash window structures, and moreparticularly to a novel kit 'for converting the frames of suchstructures to provide for removal of the sashes without the use oftools.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a kit of thekind indicated above, for either existing or new structures, whichrequires for its installation only the removal of the lower part of anexisting sash guide, such as the inner guide, and its replacement with aremovably mounted guide, grooving the lower part of the frame betweenthe sashes to provide a seat for a spring-loaded guide, which iscompressible out of the way to provide for removal of the upper sash,when in a lowered position, after removal of the lower sash, and formingseats for the flush mounting of retaining brackets for the removableguide. The installed kit renders removal and replacement of the windowsashes from inside a building, so easy and simple that it can beperformed by unskilled persons, without any tools, such as the averagehousewife, wishing to thoroughly clean and/or paint the sashes and thewindow frame, without subjecting herself to the labor and peril ofhaving to use an outside ladder.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple kit of thecharacter indicated above, which is composed of a small number ofincomplex and easily formed metal parts, which can be made inwell-finished and rugged forms, at relatively low cost, and whosecomponents can be packed, stored, and shipped in compact, light-weightpackages.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an inside perspective view of a sliding sash windowstructure, with its lower sash broken away, showing removal of a lowerpart of the inner sash guide, preparatory to being replaced by aremovable guide, and a spring-loaded center guide, in accordance withthe present invention;

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a kit of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the spring-loadedcenter guide and the removable guide installed;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 3 with thesashes removed;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are further enlarged fragmentary vertical sections takenon the lines 5-'5 and 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 77 ofFIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 8-8 ofFIGURE 4.

ice

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, a conventional double slidingsash window frame 10 is shown, which has a vertical side member 12,which has, at its laterally inward side, an inside guide 14, a centerguide strip 16, and an outside guide 18, with an upper sash 20 engagedbetween the outside guide 18 and the center guide strip 16, and a lowersash 22 engaged between the center guide strip 16 and the inside guidestrip v1d.

The frame side member 12 is prepared for the installation of thecomponents of a kit of the present invention, by removal, in anysuitable manner, of the lower part of the inside guide 14, to a heightslightly greater than the height of either of the sashes 20- and 22, soas to provide a plane flat surface 24, the removal of an equal length ofthe center guide strip 16, and the formation of a vertical groove 26, inthe area of the side member 12 left by removed part of the center guidestrip 16.

The illustrated kit, generally designated 28, comprises a spring-loadedcenter guide assembly 30, a removable inside guide 32, and reversedupper and lower locking brackets 34 and 36, respectively, which arevertically spaced from each other at a greater distance than the heightof the sashes 20 and 22. These components are preferably made ofnon-corrosive, light-weight metal, such as aluminum.

The spring-loaded center guide assembly 30 comprises a relatively deepand narrow channel 38 having full length, lateral flanges 40, at itsopen inner side, formed with screw holes 42 for the reception ofmounting screws 44. The web 46 of the channel 38 has openings 48,adjacent its upper and lower ends, through which slide vertically spacedcarrier pins 50, having heads 52, on their laterally outward ends, whichbear against the laterally outward side of the web. The pins 50 havecoil springs 54 circumposed thereon, and compressed between the web 46and the adjacent edge of a vertically elongated bar 56 which is engagedslidably in the open end of the channel and normally projects inwardlytherefrom. The pins 50 are threaded or otherwise secured to the outwardedge of the bar 56. The channel 38 is secured in place in the groove 26by threading the screws 44 through the flange openings 42 into the frameside member 12, the upper and lower ends of the channel 38 preferablyabutting the shoulder 58, at the upper end of the groove 26, and thewindow sill 60, respectively.

The removable inside guide 3 2 comprises a laterally outwardly openingflat channel 62 having spaced and opposed inwardly extending flanges 64,on its open end. The web 66 of the channel 62 is formed, adjacent itsupper end, with a vertically elongated slot 68, and spaced below theslot is a lateral horizontal web 70, which is preferably fixed to theflanges 64 and to the sidewalls 72 of the channel.

The horizontal web is formed centrally with a hole 74 through whichworks a vertical latch bolt 76, having a head 78, on its lower end,which normally bears against the underside of the web 7d. The bolt 76has a reduced upper end portion 81) which extends upwardly through abore 82 provided in a slide 84, which extends across the interior of thechannel 62 and bears against the channel web 66, the sidewalls 72, andthe flanges 64. A conical detent 86 is fixed on the upper end of thebolt 76, atop the slide and a coil spring 88, circurnposed on the lowerpart of the bolt, is compressed between the web 70 and the underside ofthe slide 84 and normally elevates the detent 86, into a hole 90,provided in the foot portion 92 of an upper L-shaped locking bracket 34,which has an upstanding standard 96, which is secured to the surface 24of the frame side member 12, by screws 98.

The channel 62 has therein a lower horizontal web 199, adjacent to itslower end, which has a central bore 102, in which is engaged theupstanding shank 104 of a downwardly directed conical detent 106, theshank being riveted, at its upper end, as indicated at 108, against thetop of the web 100. A lower inverted L-shaped locking bracket 36 has itsstandard portion 112 secured to the surface 24, as by means of screws,and its feet portion 114 is provided with a hole 116, in which thedetent 106 engages. The channels 38 and 62 are preferably of the samelength and somewhat longer than the window sashes.

Removal from the window frame of the lower sash 22, is accomplishedsimply by depressing the upper detent 86, by means of a knob 118 on ashank 12%, extending through the slot 68 and threaded into the slide 84,against the resistance of the spring 88, so as to disengage the detent86 from the bracket hole 90, and then elevating the channel 62, so as todisengage the lower detent 106 from the hole 116 of the lower bracket36, and then moving the lower sash 22 toward the inside and out of theframe 10.

The upper sash is removed by first lowering the same to its bottomposition, then pressing the bar 56 outwardly against the resistance ofthe springs 54, far enough to enable the upper sash to be moved towardthe inside of and out of the window frame. These operations are reversedfor replacing the sashes 20 and 22 in the window frame.

Although there has been shown and described a preferred form of theinvention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarilyconfined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of andin the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated asbeing within the scope of the invention as defined by the claimsappended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a window frame having a sill, an upstanding sidemember having spaced vertical inside and outside guides and a centerguide strip between the guides, an upper slide sash engaged between theouter guide and the center guide strip, a lower slide sash engagedbetween the center guide strip and the inside guide, the center guidestrip extending from the upper end of the frame to and terminating at apoint spaced above the lower end of the frame with the part between theterminating point of said center guide strip and the lower end of saidframe forming a vertical groove, the inside guide extending from theupper end of the frame to and terminating at a point spaced above thelower end thereof with the part between the terminating point of saidinside guide and the lower end thereof providing a flat surface, aspring-loaded center guide secured in said groove and having an inwardlyspring-pressed guide bar extending inwardly from the frame side memberand engaging the inside surface of the upper sash, and a removableinside guide engaged with and removably secured to said flat surface,said center guide and said inside guide being taller than the heights ofthe individual sashes, said spring-loaded center guide comprising aninwardly opening channel secured in said groove, a vertically elongatedbar engaged in and normally reaching inwardly beyond the channel, meansmounting the bar to move inwardly and outwardly in the channel, andspring means compressed between the channel and the bar, said channelhaving a web, said mounting means comprising headed pins sliding throughthe channel web and secured to the bar.

2. In combination, a window frame having a sill, an upstanding sidemember having spaced vertical inside and outside guides and a centerguide strip between the guides, an upper slide sash engaged between theouter guide and the center guide strip, a lower slide sash engagedbetween the center guide strip and the inside guide, the center guidestrip extending from the upper end of the frame to and terminating at apoint spaced above the lower end of the frame with the part between theterminating point of said center guide strip and the lower end of saidframe forming a vertical groove, the inside guide strip extending fromthe upper end of the frame to and terminating at a point spaced abovethe lower end thereof with the part between the terminating point ofsaid inside guide and lower end thereof providing a flat surface, aspring-loaded center guide secured in said groove and having an inwardlyspring-pressed guide bar extending inwardly from the frame side memberand engaging the inside surface of the upper sash, and a removableinside "uide engaged with and removably secured to said flat surface,said center guide and said inside guide being taller than the heights ofthe individual sashes, said springloaded center guide comprising aninwardly opening channel secured in said groove, a vertically elongatedbar engaged in and normally reaching inwardly beyond the channel, meansmounting the bar to move inwardly and outwardly in the channel, andspring means compressed between the channel and the bar, said channelhaving a web, said mounting means comprising headed pins sliding throughthe channel web and secured to the bar, said inside guide comprising anoutwardly opening channel having its open side secured to said fiatsurface, and releasable locking means comprising vertically spaced upperand lower brackets fixed to said fiat surface and having detentopenings, 21 fixed lower detent on the inside guide channel engagingdownwardly in the detent opening of the lower bracket, an upwardlyspring-pressed detent on the inside guide channel releasably engaged inthe detent opening of the upper bracket, and externally accessible meansguided on the inside guide channel and connected to the spring-presseddetent for depressing the spring-pressed detent out of the detentopening of the upper bracket.

3. In combination, a window frame having a sill, an upstanding sidemember having spaced vertical inside and outside guides and a centerguide strip between the guides, an upper slide sash engaged between theouter guide and the center guide strip, a lower slide sash engagedbetween the center guide strip and the inside guide, the center guidestrip extending from the upper end of the frame to and terminating at apoint spaced above the lower end of the frame with the part between theterminating point of said center guide strip and the lower end of saidframe forming a vertical groove, the inside guide extending from theupper end of the frame to and terminating at a point spaced above thelower end thereof with the part between the terminating point of saidinside guide and the lower end thereof providing a fiat surface, aspring-loaded center guide secured in said groove and having an inwardlyspring-pressed guide bar extending inwardly from the frame side memberand engaging the inside surface of the upper sash, and a removableinside guide engaged with and removably secured to said fiat surface,said center guide and said inside guide being taller than the heights ofthe individual sashes, said springloaded center guide comprising aninwardly opening channel secured in said groove, a vertically elongatedbar engaged in and normally reaching inwardly beyond the channel, meansmounting the bar to move inwardly and outwardly in the channel, andspring means compressed between the channel and the bar, said channelhaving a web, said mounting means comprising headed pins sliding throughthe channel web and secured to the bar, said inside guide comprising anoutwardly opening channel having its open side secured to said fiatsurface, and releasable locking means comprising vertically spaced upperand lower brackets fixed to said fiat surface and having detentopenings, at fixed lower detent on the inside guide chan- ReferencesCited in the file of this patent nel engaging downwardly in the detentopening of the A lower bracket, an upwardly spring-pressed detent in theUNITED STATES PATENTS inside guide channel releasably engaged in thedetent open- 590,086 Bohri ch Sept. 14, 1897 ing of the upper bracket,and externally accessible means 5 602,245 Schmitz APR 12 18918 gulded onthe lnside gulde channel and connected to the 642 279 Alb ht I 30 1900spring-pressed detent for depressing the spring-pressed f a detent outof the detent opening of the upper bracket, 1,377,748 ChnstensonMaY1OJ19Z1 said detents and said brackets being located within the1,662,619 Pallada Mar. 13, 1928 channel of the inside guide. 10

1. IN COMBINATION, A WINDOW FRAME HAVING A SILL, AN UPSTANDING SIDEMEMBER HAVING SPACED VERTICAL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE GUIDES AND A CENTERGUIDE STRIP BETWEEN THE GUIDES, AN UPPER SLIDE SASH ENGAGED BETWEEN THEOUTER GUIDE AND THE CENTER GUIDE STRIP, A LOWER SLIDE SASH ENGAGEDBETWEEN THE CENTER GUIDE STRIP AND THE INSIDE GUIDE, THE CENTER GUIDESTRIP EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER END OF THE FRAME TO AND TERMINATING AT APOINT SPACED ABOVE THE LOWER END OF THE FRAME WITH THE PART BETWEEN THETERMINATING POINT OF SAID CENTER GUIDE STRIP AND THE LOWER END OF SAIDFRAME FORMING A VERTICAL GROOVE, THE INSIDE GUIDE EXTENDING FROM THEUPPER END OF THE FRAME TO AND TERMINATING AT A POINT SPACED ABOVE THELOWER END THEREOF WITH THE PART BETWEEN THE TERMINATING POINT OF SAIDINSIDE GUIDE AND THE LOWER END THEREOF PROVIDING A FLAT SURFACE, ASPRING-LOADED CENTER GUIDE SECURED IN SAID GROOVE AND HAVING AN INWARDLYSPRING-PRESSED GUIDE BAR EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE FRAME SIDE MEMBERAND ENGAGING THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE UPPER SASH, AND A REMOVABLEINSIDE GUIDE ENGAGED